US woman allegedly raped before she, partner killed by Grenadian escapees

The Grenada Police have confirmed that one of the three escaped prisoners [who were recaptured at Petit Bordel], raped the American woman before killing her alongside her husband and throwing them off their yacht on February 19, 2024.

According to the reports, three men escaped from Grenada’s prison and hijacked a yacht to flee to St Vincent and the Grenadines. The yacht owners 71-year-old, Kathleen Brandel and 66-year-old Ralph Hendry were on a trip of a lifetime sailing around the Caribbean when their yacht was hijacked by the trio.

Trevon Robertson, Ron Mitchell and Atiba Stanisclaus have now been formally charged with the couple’s kidnapping and murder. Now, the Grenada police have confirmed that Stanisclaus is also charged with raping Brandel before her death.

The trio made their first court appearance in St. George’s Magistrate’s Court in Grenada on Thursday and have also been charged with escaping lawful custody, housebreaking, robbery, and kidnapping. The police said that they are next due in court on March 27.

The couple were natives of Virgina and were living on their 48-foot St. Francis catamaran, ‘Simplicity’. They were last seen near their docked catamaran in St George, Grenada on February 18 – the same day the trio reportedly broke out of a police holding cell on the island.

Police suspected that the escapees hijacked the vessel while the couple were on board and it was later discovered by an individual who reported the incident to the officials.

The investigation also led to discovery of several blood stains on the boat but the couple was nowhere to be found; it was believed that the killers threw their bodies overboard while sailing to St Vincent.

Meanwhile, the fugitives were caught by authorities in St Vincent a day later but they did not find the yacht.

The police officials have not yet revealed the details which led to the confirmation of the victim’s rape before her murder (WIC News).